ISP launches anti-aging actives that target the cell ‘battery’

ISP’s two new anti-aging ingredients target the mitochondria – the engine of the cell and one of the hottest topics in the skin care sector.

The ingredients, Dynachondrine ISR and Chondricare IS, join the company’s Vincience line of skin care actives.

Both build on research and development the company has been conducting into the role of the mitochondria in skin aging, explained skin care global marketing director Joël Mantelin.

Mantelin compared the mitochondria to the battery of a mobile phone: without it and the energy it provides, nothing happens in the cell.

The first of the ingredients, the Dynachondrine ISR, stimulates the mitochondrial respiratory chain to increase the energy produced by the organelle, according to ISP.

Targets sirtuins

In addition, the ingredient targets sirtuin 3, a member of the ‘longevity’ enzymes found in the mitochondria.

“A scientific breakthrough was made in 2001 when lifespan extension was clearly linked to the expression of sirtuins…Increase expression of sirtuins has been shown to protect skin cells from stress, increase cell longevity, restore cells’ ability to adapt and thrive and to preserve the structure and integrity of skin,” explained Mantelin.

And, according to the company’s in vitro results Dynachondine ISR contributes to the expression of sirtuin 3.

Furthermore, the company claim the soybean extract may help break the vicious cycle of mitochondrial aging, where respiration and energy production in the mitochondria leads to the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) that can harm the mitochondria leading to inefficient respiration and the production of even more ROS.

Protect mitochondrial DNA

Chondricare IS, the second of the new actives, is a synthetic peptide that has been designed to imitate the activity of the enzyme aconitase.

ISP refers to this protein as a ‘moonlighting’ enzyme as it can switch functions depending on the environment and the needs of the mitochondria.

“The interest in aconitase in cosmetics is linked to its capacity to adapt its activity according to the needs in the mitochondria: energy production or mitochondrial DNA protection,” explained Mantelin.

According to Mantelin, Chondricare IS can modulate the activity of aconitase, stimulating the metabolism and protecting the mitochondrial DNA.

Both ingredients are aimed at anti-aging formulations and ISP suggests Chondricare IS could also be used in daily skin care with UV protection properties as it could help protect against UV-mediated damage to the mitochondrial DNA.